Mower



(No Mo del.)

M. KANE.

MOWER.

No. 601,261. Patented Mar. 29,1898.

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UNITED STATES PATENT V OFFICE.

MAURICE KANE, OF AUSTIN, ILLINOIS.

MowERQ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,261, datedMarch 29, 1898.

Applicationflled December 5, 1896. Serial No. 614,576. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MAURICE KANE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Austin, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Mowers, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to mowers.

The object of the invention is to provide means whereby the tendency ofthe finger-bar to swing or vibrate vertically and independently underthe influence of its counterbalancing is counteracted.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby thefinger-bar is relieved of the tension of its counterbalancing-springwhen said bar encounters rough or uneven ground or other obstructions,whereby said finger-bar closely follows the surface of the ground overwhich it travels.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists, substantially; in the construction, combination,location, and relative arrangement, all as will be more fully hereafterset forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finallyspecifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings and to the various views and reference-signsappearing thereon, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a mower,parts broken away and parts in transverse section, with my inventionapplied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view on the line 2 2, Fig.1.

In the drawings reference-sign A designates the main frame B, thesupporting-axle therefor; G, the traction-wheel; D, the tongue; E, thefinger-baryF, the means for operating the same; G, the bell-crank leverfor supporting the finger-bar; H, the spring connected at one end to themain frame and at the other end to said bell-crank lever, whereby thefingerbar is yieldingly counterbalanced, and J is a drag-bar for thefinger. These parts so far mentioned maybe of the usual or any wellknownor convenient construction and arrangement.

The operation and function of the counterbalancing-spring H is'wellunderstood to be to counterbalance the finger-bar, and the ten sion ofsaid spring is so adjusted as to support the weight of the finger-barwhen said finger-bar is normally in position for work, the force of saidspring being exerted upon the finger-bar through the bell-crank lever Gand the connection K from said bell-crank lever to the finger-bar and ina direction to elevate the floating finger-bar. I have found that whenthe finger-bar encounters an uneven place or other obstruction tendingto raise the same such tendency is aided by the force or tendency of thecounterbalancingspring H, thereby resulting in an undue Vibration ormovement vertically of the fingerbar away from the surface of theground. This independent vertical vibration or movement of thefinger-bar is objectionable for the reason that it results in an unevencutting of the grass, and, moreover, the tendency of spring H is toprevent the ready return of the finger-bar to its normal position whenthe obstruction is passed. In order to avoid the objection noted, Iprovide means for counteracting the force of spring H, thereby relievingthe finger -bar of the tension of such spring and permitting gravity toreturn the finger bar to its normal position. In the drawings I haveshown a form of operating means embodying the principles of my inventionwherein I mount a stop L upon the fixed part of the frames'ay, forinstance, the tongue Din position to be engaged by the hook P upon oneend of a rod M, pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon thebellcrank lever G. A spring 0 may be provided for normally maintainingthe hooked end P in position to engage the stop L. A rod Q,

connecting the upper end of rod M and one end of a foot or other form oflever B, conveniently arranged to be readily accessible to the driver,affords means for readily disengaging the hooked end P of rod M fromstop L when occasion may require.

From this construction bar of the influence of said spring when said baris moved vertically by passing over an obstruction, and hence enablingthe finger-bar to return by gravity to its normal position when theobstruction is passed. In order to provide a suitable adjustment of thiscounteracting means, I may pivotally mount the stop L, as shown, andprovide said step with a slot, as indicated at S, through which passes asecuring-bolt T. By this construction any desired adjustment of thepoint in the vertical vibration or movement of the finger-bar where thecounteraction occurs may be secured.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the finger-barencounters an obstruction which tends to raise the same and whichtendency is aided by the force of the counterbalaneing-spring II, whichforce is appliedconstantly in a direction tending to elevate thefingerbar, the tendency of such rising movement is to rock thebell-crank lever G. The engagement of the hooked end of rod P, however,with stop L resists such rocking movement of the bell-erank lever,thereby overcoming the influence of spring II upon the finger-bar, andhence permitting gravity to return said bar to its normal position whenthe obstruction is passed. \Vhen it is desired to raise the finger-barin the usual manner for transportation and the like, the driver, throughlever B and connection Q, rocks rod M about its pivot out of positionfor the hooked end thereof to engage the stop L, thereby permitting thebell-crank lever G to be rocked in the usual manner. In thisconstruction it will be seen that the footlever B and connection Q notonly effects a disengagement of the rod M from stop L, but also servesas a means to rock the bell-crank lever to elevate the finger-bar.

It is desirable to avoid a rigid stop of the rocking motion ofbell-crank lever G during the vertical vibrations or movements of thefinger-bar under the influences as above indicated. To accomplish thisresult, I provide means for inter-posing a yielding stop. I have shownan operative embodiment of the idea, wherein I provide a projection Aupon the bell-crank lever G, with an elongated slot therein, asindicated, and through which slot passes the rod M, and I interposespring 0 between such projection and the collarNon such rod M. In otherrespects the construction and arrangement is practically the same asabove explained. By the provision of a spring 0, arranged as shown, itwill be seen that when the finger-bar rises under the influencesmentioned, thereby rocking the bellcrank lever G in the direction inwhich the force of spring II is exerted, such rocking mot-ion causes thehooked end P of rod M to engage stop L; but such engagement does noteffect a rigid stop, as by mounting the rod M to slide freely throughthe slot in projection A the movement of said rod M with the bellcranklever is arrested, while a continued movement of the bell-crank levereffects a compression of spring 0, between projection A and collar N,and hence a portion of the force of spring II is yieldingly counteractedby the force of spring 0.

In order that rod M may be rocked about its pivot to disengage thehooked end P thereof from stop L, and also in order that said rod mayhave a relative movement endwise when its hooked end P engages stop L, Iarrange the pivot-pin N, through the head or sleeve N of which rod Mpasses, to project freely through an elongated slot B in bell-cranklever G. Thus a desirable range of play of the pivot-pin N is provided.

It is believed that from the foregoing description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, the operation will be readily and fullyunderstood.

Of course it will be understood that many variations and changes in thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts would readily suggestthemselves to persons skilled in the art and still fall within thespirit and scope of my invention. I do not desire, therefore, to belimited or restricted to the exact details shown and described; but,

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and a form ofoperative means embodying the same, and having explained theconstruction, function, and mode of operation thereof, what I claim asnew and useful and of my own invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States, 1s

1. In a mowing-machine, a finger-bar, a counterbalancing-springtherefor, and means for yieldingly counteracting the force of suchspring; as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a mowing-machine, a finger-bar, a bell-crank lever, a springacting through said bell-crank leverto balance the finger-bar, and ayielding stop arranged to limit the rocking motion of said bell-cranklever; as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a mowing-machine, a finger-bar, a bell-crank lever, a springacting through said bell-crank lever to balance the finger-bar, and ayielding stop arranged to limit the rocking motion of said bell-cranklever; as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a mowing-machine, a finger-bar, a bell-crank lever, a springacting through said lever to balance said bar, a rod pivot-ally mountedon said lever but capable of independent movement endwise relativethereto, an adjustable stop arranged to be engaged by said rod, and aspring interposed between said rod and lever, as and for the purpose setforth.

5. I11 a mowing-machine, a finger-bar, a bell-crank lever, a springacting through said lever to balance said bar, a rod loosely pivoted onsaid lever,whereby said rod may rock and also move endwise with respectto said 1 o is mounted, a spring interposed between said projection andsaid pivot-pin, and a stop arranged to be engaged by said rod, as andfor the purpose set forth.

In Witness hereof I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of December,1896.

MAURICE KANE.

Witnesses:

S. E. DARBY, M. I. CAVANAGH.

